Bobbi Brown released three limited-edition Cheek Palette Trios each containing two blushes and one highlighter color. The Cheek Palettes are all color-coordinated which include Calypso, Pink and Berry ($45 each, blushes are .12 oz / 3.4 g each and the highlighter is .16 oz / 4.55 g). It was hard to narrow down one pick as all three are extremely pretty. I purchased Calypso which has a peachy theme. The three colors inside include:
Pretty Coral Blush is a soft coral peach with a hint of pink
Calypso Sparkle Powder is a pale peachy gold highlighter
Coral Sugar Blush is a lighter peachy color
Although the theme is peach and coral, I found all three colors pulled a bit more on the pink side on my olive skin. It’s been a while since I’ve worn or purchased a Bobbi Brown blush. Her blushes used to be among my favorites but I found them better suited for my skin when I was darker and more tan (around Chanel B40 and a MAC NC40). Many of her colors tended to darken and oxidize on my skin once I got lighter so I stopped wearing them (although I still adore and am obsessed with all of her shimmer bricks).
Calypso has a light to medium undertone with medium but buildable pigment. I’m in love with the middle highlight because it has a really soft shimmer to it and even though it has gold shimmer, it’s not too warm for the skin making it very wearable. The texture of the colors is soft and melds into the skin nicely. A few swipes of color is all you need and they are easy to blend. I like layering them together for depth. It’s really an all-in-one cheek palette for blush, highlight and a slightly darker shade to add a bit of color on the apples.
Close ups and swatches:
A few comparison swatches:
I really like this one. I’ve been playing with it for a few weeks now and give it a thumbs up. I do think if you have a lot of peachy coral blushes the effect on the skin will be similar to other brands, but I like the convenience of having multiple colors in one small compact. It makes it easy for travel or to carry around with you for touch ups. Lasting power is quite good, these will warm up on the skin after a little bit but they won’t darken or oxidize. I found they stayed put on my cheeks from morning until late afternoon without fading.
Bottom line: it’s a good reliable everyday staple. I’m seriously considering the pink one, although it seemed like it might be too pale for me after swatching it in store. If you bought it, I’d love to hear what you thought. Or if you tested any of the three palettes, what did you think?
Today I have another roundup of new beauty items on my radar. This time of year is my favorite because all the pretty spring-summery colors and fragrances start coming out. The Sephora Beauty Insider sale starts soon (the 12th for VIB Rouge) so if you’re a beauty addict like me, you’ve probably started a wish list and have been moving things in and out of your online shipping cart.
1 / Last week I was lucky to get an early sneak peek at the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers ($50 each). You can see a little preview here and here. I’m hoping to have the review up this weekend but I can say right now they are amazing. They are currently available exclusively at Sephora.com for VIB/VIB Rouge Members, launch for everyone on 4/15 online at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics and hit stores in May.
2 / To celebrate the opening of the Diptyque Beverly Hills Boutique, the store has released a limited-edition Beverly Hills Candle ($70) exclusive to the store that has lemon + mint essential oils, orchid and freesia accord. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to LA> a leading independent nonprofit contemporary art space in Los Angeles supporting artistic and curatorial freedom. The candle is exclusive to the boutique, you can order one by calling the Beverly Hills store at (310) 385-5941.
3 / Also new from Diptyque is the Florabellio Eau de Toilette (in a 50 ml is $90 and 100 ml is $125). It’s available starting this month and is supposed to be a mix of sweet, salty, apple blossom and apricot-scented osmanthus mist. The Diptyque South Coast Plaza Boutique has a promo going on if you pre-order the fragrance they will include a 12 ml mini of Florabellio as a gift with purchase. You can reach the store at (714) 850-9995, ask for Raven.
4 / Christopher Kane for NARS Summer 2015 Collection features some stunning beauty pieces. It launches online at Narscosmetics.com and Boutiques on April 15th, everywhere else May 1st.
5 / Jo Malone has three newly packaged colognes that are special-edition versions of some previously released scents ($125 each for 3.4 oz). Plum Blossom comes in a purple cap and label, Osmanthus Blossom comes with a spring green packaging, Sakura Cherry Blossom comes with the pink packaging.
6 / Laura Mercier has released eight new shades of the Creme Lip Color Smooth Formula ($27 each). The new shades include a mix of nudes and rose and plum: Lychee Parfait, Biscotti, Milky Way, Crushed Pecan, Praline Cream, Rose, Audrey and Dry Rose. Some of the names look familiar to me from her older formulas. I think a trip to the counter is in order for me soon.
7 / Tarte has a new Showstopper Clay Palette ($38) which looks perfect for summer. It has six warm-toned shadows, blush, bronzer and highlighter all in one. It’s in my Sephora shopping cart right now since the store locator function shows it’s online only right at this moment.
8 / Caudalie has four new masks. I ordered all four on Monday since I’m on the verge of running out of my Glamglow and Aesop masks. I have high hopes for these and will review once I put them to the test. I like the concept of different masks for different needs. The four options include the Purifying Mask, the Instant Detox Mask, the Moisturizing Mask and the Glycolic Peel Mask ($39 each).
What’s on your beauty radar this week? Are you planning your Sephora haul like me?
What’s in your shopping cart?
This season Tom Ford Beauty has two new nail polishes that are quite edgy and unique for spring. The two Nail Lacquers in the spring collection are Indigo Night and Black Jade ($32 each), both have opaque full coverage with two coats and apply very smoothly on the nail. It took me a while to cave on these because I normally don’t wear greens on the nails and I already own quite a few navy shimmer polishes, but after swatching these I am glad I did buy both.
Black Jade is a deep complex green color. There is quite a bit of color mixed into the bottle making it quite unique and dramatic on the fingers. This one is quite dark so it almost looks black on the nails with a hint of forest green and shimmer if your hands are in natural light. This particular color was sold out at the counters near me, I was glad to have found it online at Neimans before it sold out. Right now it’s still available at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
Indigo Night is actually my favorite of the two. Even though I think a navy blue shimmer is something that is quite standard in many beauty lines, this one is particularly stunning. It has a brightness to the blue with some iridescence to it so it’s not as deep as others. In natural light you can see that it’s definitely a blue color but at the same time very deep. With this one the first coat will appear a bit sheer and see-thru but it smooths out completely to a full flawless finish with the second coat.
Both colors are very different from what you usually see in the traditional spring color palette, but I like them both. The colors are sharp and edgy without being over the top making them very wearable for me. For reference, Color Me Loud has comparison swatches (my nail wheels are currently MIA). For other Tom Ford Beauty spring features, my review on the Eye Color Duos here and Spring Cream Shadow here. I give the nail polishes a thumbs up although I have to say previews of the Summer collection have my heart racing and it can’t arrive soon enough (I’ve been stalking it online).
The Tom Ford Spring 2015 Collection is available now, while supplies last. I’ve been told at the counters the nail polishes are limited-edition, but I’m not 100% sure. Black Jade is still available at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Indigo Night is still relatively easy to track down also at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tom Ford.
One of By Terry’s latest is her new Cellularose Moisturizing CC Cream ($86 for 40 g / 1.41 oz, made in France). I ordered mine from Barneys Beverly Hills store for the Love Yourself Event last month. I was matched to the color Beige No. 3 which is a good match for my medium olive toned skin right now. The Cellularose Moisturizing CC Cream is like a sheer hydrating tinted moisturizer. It comes in a light iridescent pink tube and a metal pump with a cap at the end. This is extremely pricey for a foundation/tinted moisturizer but it does contain a skincare aspect which makes it more than just a regular tinted moisturizer/cc cream. Like all By Terry foundations, this one comes with the signature rose scent. There are four shades currently available, for reference Beauty Professor has swatches of all four colors.
The product description according to what is on the packaging:
This CC Cream gathers together in itself all the skincare and makeup actions in one single gesture:
An intense hydration thanks to the Centifolia Roses Native Cells
A deep glow provided by the Alba Roses Native Cells
A youth protection released by anti-oxidant Vitamin E
A natural long lasting perfection revealed by the unique CC – Color Control corrective technology
An absolute comfort via nutri-moistening factors
The CC Cream provides a sheer but buildable coverage. The texture is creamy but still lightweight so it melts into the skin and blends in naturally. I’ve tested it on the face with a foundation brush, fingers and a damp beautyblender. My favorite application method is to use this with the sponge and layer on the coverage. My skin has improved significantly over the past few months but it’s no where near perfect. Even though the By Terry CC Cream is buildable to medium coverage I found that by itself it didn’t give me enough coverage for my specific skin. Topping it with concealer on spots and my favorite Dolce & Gabbana powder foundation gave me just the right amount of coverage I needed.
The color is sheer enough to be forgiving and does seem to adjust/color correct after it sets. What I like about the color Beige No. 3 is that it doesn’t darken or oxidize, but rather warms up just the slightest bit to look natural and match my skin tone. On the skin, once blended, it gives the face a youthful glow without looking oily, greasy or too dewy. That being said I do believe it most definitely needs to be set with some kind of powder.
For lasting power it lasts all day long on the face. However this cream is incredibly hydrating and since my skin is more normal (versus dry) I found I needed a touchup by noon in the T-zone. Still, unlike some other hydrating tinted moisturizers, it didn’t slide off or look like it separated in any areas, so I was really impressed with how well it lasted.
Swatches and some comparisons:
Comparison Set 1 features some other tinted moisturizers and complexion correctors:
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Groenland, this is similar in color but gives more coverage and has a less moisturizing/dewy finish, in terms of tinted moisturizers, this is my all time favorite because it’s not really like a traditional tinted moisturizer but more like a lightweight sheer foundation
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand has a thicker texture and slightly more coverage compared to the By Terry, the By Terry melts into the skin better and feels more weightless but has a more hydrating feel
By Terry Cover Expert Foundation in Honey Beige 9 looks slightly pinkish next to the CC Cream but both are a good match for my skin once it’s blended out, this one of course provides medium to full coverage, while the CC cream is a lot sheerer
Edward Bess Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector (review here) is similar in concept to the By Terry CC cream, the EB has coverage that is slightly more buildable and a bit creamier, I have shade in Medium which is a tad too dark for me, I could probably go for the light, in my experience, the EB is the closest to the By Terry CC cream in terms of how it makes the skin glow and how it feels on the skin
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Fluids are similar in coverage, but they don’t have the same skincare factor, also the Chanel Les Beiges are warmer and slightly more pinkish in undertone (review + swatches here)
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Comparison Set 2 features other foundations for color comparison. Since all the colors are foundations and completely different in formula, I’ll only describe the color difference:
Bottom line I like how it performs for right now this time of year. It has soothing properties that helps calm the skin. It evens out the complexion with lightweight coverage and the skincare aspect has helped improve my skin complexion in terms of hydration and making it glow. I do think it’s a medium-to-high maintenance kind of product if you have normal to oily skin because it is extremely hydrating. As long as you’re ok with a touchup or two throughout the day then you’ll be ok with this one. For evenings out it’s perfect because it gives the skin a nice glow and without any daylight heat you don’t have to worry so much about it getting too glowy. The By Terry CC Cream is something I know I will use up entirely, but once the warmer season approaches, it will be too hydrating and rich for my skin type (which is normal sensitive). If you’re one with dry skin, I think you will really like this one.
Have you tried the By Terry Cellularose Moisturizing CC Cream? What did you think? Do you have any other By Terry favorites? If not, what’s your favorite CC cream or tinted moisturizer right now?
For most of my life, I’ve been a bath and shower gel kind of person versus the bar soap kind mainly because I find shower gels do a better job at making the skin feel clean without leaving any film or making the skin feel dry. My favorite go-to shower gel has been the Neutrogena Rainbath Refreshing Shower Gel in the Original Scent. It’s one of the classic staples that is gentle enough for my super sensitive skin. I like it because it lathers up really well and leaves the skin feeling super clean and it’s also unisex. For scented shower gels I’ve tested quite a few over the years. There is nothing like a beautifully scented shower gel to wake you up in the morning or to help you relax at the end of a day. I have a roundup of my favorites that I’ve purchased numerous times along with a few new discoveries.
Diptyque has a few of their fragrances available in shower gel form including the Tam Dao, Do Son, and L’Ombre Dans L’Eau to name a few. These are quite spendy but if you’re a fan of the fragrances this is another nice way to experience it. I’ve tried a couple – Tam Dao is very lightly fragranced with a thicker gel-like texture. It doesn’t lather up like some others but makes for a nice bubble bath. L’Ombre Dans L’Eau has a stronger scent to it (it’s the fragrance version of their Baies candle) and a better lather. A little goes a very long way. Out of all the shower gels from Diptyque my favorite is the Revitalizing Shower Gel for Hair and Body. I can’t count the number of times I’ve bought this one, it’s worth every penny in my opinion because it lathers up really nicely and smells refreshingly clean and unique. My husband really likes this one as well (for him). It leaves the skin feeling super soft and lingers on the skin but won’t interfere with your perfumes. Ingredients listed online here.
Next up is the Jack Black Turbo Wash Energizing Cleanser for Hair and Body (also available in a smaller size). This one is designed for men and is my husband’s all time favorite, but I like to borrow it too. My husband is all about products that multi-task, this one really is good for both hair and body. This one is his favorite because it suds up really well and cleans the skin without leaving any film or residue. It has a mix of rosemary, eucalyptus and juniper berry which makes it smell incredibly fresh and crisp. The eucalyptus has a cooling feel that energizes the body and wakes you up in the morning but it’s not as sharp or strong as other scents with eucalyptus making it softer around the edges. I’ve bought him a number of travel sized minis from other brands to try out but this one remains his favorite. Ingredients listed online here.
My latest discovery is the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Cleansing Gel for Face and Body. This one is designed for dry skin. It has that sweet honey and sunflower scent which I usually find too powdery or floral in other lines but it’s something Nuxe does the best. It’s really thick and concentrated so a little goes a very long way. I like that it lathers up to a gentle lather – since it’s on the thicker side it won’t foam up like some others making it adhere better to the skin when you’re in the shower or bath. That being said it does rinse off completely but leaves the body feeling well hydrated. I haven’t tested this on the face yet but if you have dry skin and like honey-scented products this is amazing for the body.
Ingredients:
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser is a staple but also extremely pricey. This has a gel texture that lathers up nicely but since it’s more liquid than others it won’t necessarily foam up like the Diptyque or Neutrogena. It’s a nice soft geranium scent that is very mellow but still refreshing. You only need two pumps for the entire body and it cleans the skin like nothing else I’ve tried. Ingredients listed here.
Last but not least is the L’Occitane Bonne Mere Rosemary Shower Gel. I’m normally not a fan of rosemary scents for the body because they are often too sharp and too herbal-smelling. This one is very different. It’s incredibly difficult to describe but it’s a softer more refreshing version of the Jack Black Turbo Wash minus the eucalyptus. The entire Bonne Mere collection is designed to be extremely gentle on the skin. I’ve tried several items from the line and love the Rosemary Shower Gel, Olive Shower Gel and Liquid Marseille Hand Soap. The Rosemary has been repurchased 4 times already.
Ingredients:
If you’re in the market for a new bath or shower gel I hope you found this roundup helpful. There are a number of scented showers gels I love for the fragrance but aren’t so great in terms of giving the skin a good clean feeling. The ones above do both for me and are gentle enough for my sensitive skin. Do you have a favorite splurge? I would love to hear about your favorites!
The Nuxe and L’Occitane were press samples provided for review consideration. All other items purchased and repurchased by me.
Something that’s been on my favorites list for a couple months now is the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 7 in The Dreamer ($59 for 7 shadows each 7 g / 0.24 oz). The Marc Jacobs palettes come with an eyeshadow they call a plush shadow formula that contains a mix of textures from “shimmery metallics, buttery mattes, and lustrous sheens.” If you’ve played with any of the palettes in a Sephora store you know first hand that most of the colors are indeed plush with a buttery pigmented smooth texture. I reviewed The Enigma last year which has a mix of cool neutrals and darker shades. It has a lovely unique mix of colors to give a modern smokey eye that’s different from the regular grey/black colors. The Dreamer is a warmer neutral option that is perfect for spring to summer. It’s rare to find eyeshadow palettes with more than 4 shades where I am 100% in love with each color. This one (much like The Enigma) is pure love.
The colors in the palette are neutral to warm, but not too warm. The last color on the far right scared me a bit because it’s so warm and yellow but it layers really nicely over the other colors to add warmth and depth without making the skin look sallow. The mattes in this palette are rich in pigment and ultra smooth in coverage so they won’t make the lids look dry and even though they are neutral they show up well on the skin.
The colors as I see them described below:
Matte beige cream that has a very smooth soft texture
Shimmering sandy champagne beige
Light and pale yellow cream shimmer
Matte warm brown
Matte peach beige with a hint of pink
Shimmering coral with gold shimmer
Warm frosted marigold shimmer
Close ups of the palette:
Swatches:
The colors layer well together although I don’t usually wear more than 5 shades of shadow on the lid at any given time. I like the matte brown because it looks warm in the pan but it has super saturated pigment and applies deeper so it’s dark enough to be a liner. Even though something like a matte brown is basic, I really love this one because it can change the look for something more dramatic by smoking it out – it’s a matte that blends like a dream.
The colors are well coordinated in a way that they all go together quite nicely – no other shadows from other singles or palettes needed to tweak the look. At the same time there is enough variation between each of the colors that they don’t end up looking identical on the skin or the eyes.
I literally could go on and on about how much I like this one, but in short, it’s a really good one that I can wear on any day for any occasion. The colors perform really well and adhere nicely to the lids even without primer and last all day long without budging. The colors are so well-coordinated so this is a palette I can swipe on easily and not have to think about how to use or blend. I give this one a huge thumbs up.
You can find the Style Eye-Con No. 7 palettes at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. If you’ve tried any of the shadows I’d love to hear about your favorites. The Lolita has been on my wishlist since the line launched but I’ve been trying to resist as I already have so many neutrals. I suspect it’s only a matter of time before I cave and buy that one.
The Dreamer was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review consideration.
Yves Saint Laurent has quite a few new items in the eye makeup arena this season. YSL has a diverse range of formula options to suit your personal taste and preference ranging from new eye primers, powder shadow palettes and new cream/liquid metallic shine eyeshadows. The three items recently launched include:
The Pop Water Collection (currently exclusive to Nordstrom) features 10 new shades of Full Metal Shadows ($30 each for 0.15 fl oz / 4.5 ml)
Two new Couture Variation Ten-Color Expert Eye Palettes ($95 each) in Nu (warm neutrals) and Tuxedo (dark dramatics)
Two Couture Eye Primers ($30 each for 0.18 fl oz / 5 g) in Fair 1 and Medium 2, formulas that claim to provide 16 hours of vibrant color and crease-free eyeshadow wear
Today I have a review of the Pop Water Full Metal Shadows and the Couture Eye Primer. The Pop Water Collection is currently exclusive to Nordstrom. A few weeks ago I reviewed and swatched my picks of the Glossy Stains and Nail Lacquers here. I’ve been wearing the Glossy Stain in Pink Rain and Wet Nude quite frequently as they give the lips a lush glossy look with a really pretty tint of color. The Full Metal Shadows are metallic liquid shadows that come with a beveled sponge-tip applicator. Some of them need a few pumps to mix the color up for the first use and get product on the sponge. I’ve been playing with all the colors and tested three of them on three separate full days. I am happy to report on the eyes they are truly long-wearing. They lasted from 5 am until late evening when I took my makeup off at 5 pm on one day, at 8:45 pm on a second day, and at 11:30 pm on another day.
Application-wise these swipe easily on the lids directly from the tube and are blendable with a finger. One swipe gives a soft wash of color that is buildable. The pigment on these is really good. Some are more glitzy than others but overall I found each of the colors I picked out wearable and suitable for everyday. The shimmer is smooth and even though some have a complex sparkle, the texture melts into the skin and blends in really nicely.
Here are all the colors swatched with different lighting so you can see how they look when light or a flash hits the shadow. Note these are swatched straight from the tube without any blending. Don’t be worried by the shimmer, the colors blend out beautifully and sheer out a little but they do not loose their pigment.
1 Grey Splash is a cool medium silvery metallic
2 Eau D’Argent is a cool metallic white
3 Taupe Drop is a mauvey silver taupe
4 Onde Sable is a sparkling champagne
5 Steamy Coral is a coral pink with shimmering pink flecks
6 Pink Cascade is a soft light pink metallic
7 Aquatic Copper is a metallic bronzey copper with gold flecks
8 Dewy Gold is a yellow gold metallic
9 Misty Green is a metallic green with some gold shimmer
10 Wet Blue is a bright shimmering blue
In direct sun vs with a flash:
The colors I picked out are on the neutral side:
Here is the beveled sponge tip applicator:
Swatched straight from the tube:
As someone who likes a good shimmer that isn’t overly frosted or glittery, I’m surprised I found these very wearable for me. The name “Full Metal” implies that these are highly metallic, which I do think they are, but the shimmer is refined and blends out really nicely to meld with the skin. The colors are layerable so you can control how much color you want on the eyes. I give these a huge thumbs up.
Next up is the new Couture Eye Primer. There are two shades in Fair and Medium, although Medium is still quite light. Medium is a creamy soft light beige with a hint of pearl to it. To the touch the product feels very emollient and like a cream/mousse hybrid and soft in the pot but it dries to a finish that won’t budge. The finish is slightly dewy but not overly glowy and really does stay put. These are designed to be a shadow base to extend wear or alone for a nude eye look. Given the lightness and pearl quality of Medium, I suspect it will be best for those with fair to light-medium skin. The pearl quality isn’t overly frosty but due to the pigmented nature of the product, I think it might emphasize lines if it contrasts with the skin – much like wearing a color of foundation too light for your skin will do.
I prefer the primer under powder shadow. It creates a good semi-creamy base to help shadows adhere and blend well onto the lids. I wasn’t able to test the 16 hour wear claim, but I did find it helped keep my shadow in place from early morning until late afternoon on the days I tested it (around 10 hours of wear). I wouldn’t recommend this for those with dry lids (the pearl quality can emphasize dry patches) but if you have normal-to-oily this is a good one to help keep the shadow stay put.
Another shot with softer light:
Here are swatches next to the YSL Touche Eclat in 5.5 which is the color I use. You can see that the Couture Eye Base in Medium is still quite light. I think the product will be perfect as warmer weather approaches. I do hope YSL will expand the color range as this is a good primer, but very light in color. One reason why I don’t like a lot of eye primers from other brands is the colors are too limited and fair making my skin look ashy or overly matte. The YSL Couture Eye Primer has a lovely pearl quality which gives this depth. If darker shades were released I would wear them as a nude shadow alone.
Bottom line love the Full Metal Shadows for their buildable coverage and long lasting power. My favorite is Onde Sable 4 even though it seems like your standard champagne shimmer, it has enough oomph to it to make it a bit more sparkly without being over the top. Taupe Drop 3 comes in close second because it’s a shadow you can wear alone for an eye look. Blend the color over the lids and then layer it more along the lash line for more color and depth. The Couture Eye Primer is a good one in terms of making shadow last, I do hope they expand the color range.
Have you checked out the Pop Water Full Metal Shadows, Couture Eye Primer or the new 10-pan Shadow Palettes? What did you think? You can find them all now online and in stores at Nordstrom (note there is a GWP going on while supplies last, details online).
This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All opinions my own. All items purchased by me. For more information refer to my Disclosures.
